In autumn, someone digs a small hole in a flower bed, places a tulip bulb pointy side up, covers it with soil, and smooths the surface.
The spot looks exactly as it did before. No change appears—no green shoot, no movement, just ordinary dirt.
Winter sets in. Snow covers the ground or soil sits wet under rain. The planted spot remains bare through cold days and long nights.
Early spring brings mild weather, but the patch stays empty, blending with the rest of the bed.
One morning, slender green shoots break through the soil surface.
Soon after, tulip buds swell and colorful flowers bloom wide open.
The full flowers stand as the visible result of the bulb planted months earlier. Time kept that outcome hidden beneath the surface until it surfaced.